Lid holding means for can opener



Dec. 14, 1965 A. H. FREEMAN 3,222,780

LID HOLDING MEANS FOR CAN OPENER Filed Dec. 27, 1965 22 24k gj fzg gggz United States Patent ice 3,222,780 LID HOLDING MEANS FOR CAN OPENER Arthur H. Freeman, Brockport, N.Y., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Filetl Dec. 27, 1963, Ser. No. 333,874 Claims. (Cl. 30--6.4)

This application relates to a can opener and in particular to a lid holding means adapted for use with a can opener.

The desirability of providing means on can openers for preventing the dropping of the can l-id into the can upon its severance from the can has long been recognized. Commonly a magnetic holding means is secured to the can opener adjacent the cutting mechanism to solve this problem.

In providing magnetic holding means for can openers, it is important that such means be of simple design so as to add minimum cost to the can opener and to permit convenient operation by the user. Prior attempts to provide can opener lid retainers have resulted, for the most part, in relatively complicated cumbersome mechanisms which add an inordinate cost to the can opener or in mechanisms which do not accurately provide the functions of a can lid retaining means which are necessary for optimum convenience.

Among the desirable functions of a lid retainer are the ability to vary the position of the retainer relative to the can opener mechanism and to remove the retainer for cleaning. As it is necessary that the lid retainer take a generally horizontal position during the lid removal operation, means should be provided to move the retainer out of a projecting horizontal position to a nonprojecting position in the interest of saving space. This is particularly so where the can opener is to be wall mounted and a projecting retainer may well provide a nuisance.

It is also important that the user be able to remove the lid retaining means from the can opener not only to permit cleaning of the retainer itself, but to permit greater accessibility to the cutter means of the can opener for cleaning. Of course, any arrangement permitting such versatility in the lid retainer must be simple in operation for convenient everyday domestic use.

To further simplify and to minimize the cost of the can opener, the lid retaining means may often accomplish additional desirable functions.

Accordingly, it is one object of this invention to provide a simple low cost lid retainer for a can opener.

It is another object of this invention to provide such a lid retainer having means to permit convenient selective positioning of the retainer in a lid holding position, in a storage position, or for removal from the can opener.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a can opener lid retainer including means for guiding the can into cutting position and means for protecting the cutter of the can opener when the cutter is inoperative.

In carrying out the objects of this invention in one form thereof, a can opener is provided having a casing on which is mounted a suitable lid removal means and to which is secured a support. A pivot portion of the support is spaced from the casing and adapted to receive in mating pivotal relationship a pivot portion of a magnet holder for pivotal and sliding support of the holder on the support. The two pivot portions provide a mating pin and sleeve arrangement. The sleeve includes a shoulder which is adapted to abut a projection on the pin so that the magnet holder may be pivotally supported in a horizontal position. A longitudinal slot formed in the sleeve and communicating with the sleeve shoulder permits rotation of the magnet holder so that the pin projection 3,222,788 Patented Dec. 14, 1965 registers with the sleeve slot to permit sliding between the sleeve and the pin for removal of the magnet holder from the support or for free pivotal support of the magnet holder on the support.

As another aspect of this invention, a portion of the lid retainer means is positioned adjacent the cutting means of the can opener so as to guide the can lid into the proper cutting position and to be movable so as to protect the can opener cutter when the can opener is inoperative.

Other objects and advantages of my invention may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the top portion of a can opener incorporating this invention and having a portion of the magnet holder removed for clarity;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the lid retainer means of this invention;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the lid retainer means showing the magnet holder in its operative position;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3, and

FIG. 5 is a side view of the lid retaining means of this invention showing the magnet holder positioned for sliding on the support arm in solid lines and in a storage position in broken lines.

FIG. 1 of the drawing shows the drive and cutting elements of a power-operated can opener having a casing or housing 10 which encloses a suitable electric motor and power transmission means (not shown) for driving a toothed wheel 11. An elongated arm 12 is pivotal on a screw 13 which extends forwardly from housing 10 and secures the arms to the housing. A cutter 14 is affixed to the arm, being positioned closely adjacent drive wheel 11. Arm 12 includes a forwardly extending gripping surface 12a.

The can to be opened is positioned for lid removal by raising arm 12, inserting the can rim over the drive wheel 11 and lowering arm 12 so that the rim is clamped be tween wheel 11 and cutter 14. Rotation of drive wheel 11 by the actuation of a motor switch button 15 causes rotation of the can and removal of the can lid by the cutting action of cutter 14.

In accordance with this invention, a generally L-shaped pin or support 16 is secured to the forward wall 10a of housing 10 by a short leg 16a and is arranged with a long cylindrical leg or pivot portion 16b generally parallel to the forward face of housing 10 closely adjacent cutter 14. This pin is adapted to support a magnet holder 17 which is fully shown in FIG. 2. Magnet holder 17 has been partially cutaway in FIG. 1 for clarity.

The magnet holder comprises a shallow frame portion 18 of sheet steel having side walls I? and 20, forward wall 21 and a fiat top surface 22. A suitable magnet 23 of permanent magnet material, dimensioned to fit closely within the side walls of frame 18 is secured Within the magnet holder frame in any suitable fashion, such as by an adhesive material.

Secured to, and preferably integrally formed with frame 18 is a tubular pivot portion or sleeve 24 having an inner diameter slightly greater than the diameter of pivot portion 16b. As may be seen in- FIGS. 2-5, sleeve 24- extends rearwardly along a portion of the rear edge of frame 18 and is connected to the frame by a generally horizontal connecting portion 25. A free edge 24a of sleeve 24 is somewhat spaced from the line along which the sleeve is connected to or formed from the top surface of frame 18. This construction provides a longitudinal slot 26 which is parallel to the axis of pivot portion 16b of pin 16. An aperture 27 is also formed in sleeve 24 adjacent its connection to frame 18 and therefore adjacent longitudinal slot 26.

It can be seen that due to the mating relationship between sleeve 24 and pivot portion 1612, the magnet holder 17 would be freely slidable and swingable on pivot portion 1611 if pivot portion 16b was smooth throughout its length. However, in order to support magnet holder frame 18 in a generally horizontal position when the cutting mechanism is in operation, a projection 28, which may be an upset portion formed from pin 16, is adapted to extend into aperture 27 when in registry therewith. A shoulder 27a which comprises a portion of the periphery of aperture 27 is adapted to engage the top surface of projection 28 when projection 28 extends into aperture 27, as shown in FIGS. 14. This results from the tendency of magnet holder 17 to pivot counter-clockwise as viewed in FIG. 4 due to the fact that the center of mass of the frame 18 and magnet 23 is spaced from the axis of pin 16. Thus, the magnet holder may be held in a substantially horizontal position to rest upon the lid of a can during the lid removal operation. It can be seen that the magnet holder is free to rotate upwardly or clockwise as viewed in FIG. 4 to move freely with the slight bobbing motion of the can lid during rotation of the can.

Upon completion of a cutting operation, when it is no longer desired to use the lid retaining magnet, magnet holder 17 may be easily and conveniently positioned for axial movement on pin 16 by manually rotating the magnet holder upwardly from the horizontal posiiton to the position shown in solid lines in FIG. 5. In this position, projection 28 extends into longitudinal slot 26 and the magnet holder may be freely slid to the left or right on pivot portion 16b.

Should the user desire to remove the magnet holder from pin 16 he need merely slide the magnet holder off of the free end of portion 16b. The magnet holder is then available for easy cleaning and the cutting and drive wheel elements of the can opener are exposed for cleaning also. If the user merely wants to place the magnet holder in a storage position, he may slide the magnet holder to the left as viewed in FIGS. l-3 until one end of sleeve 24 abuts corner 160 of the L-shaped pin. Sleeve 24 is then free of projection 28. In this position the magnet holder is freely swingable on pin 16 and will rotate due to the weight of the magnet so that the magnet is in a depending generally vertical position. The sleeve is confined laterally when in this position between projection 28 and corner 160 of pin 16.

Preferably, magnet 23 is of sufficient strength and the magnet and the drive wheel are sufficiently close to cause the magnetic attraction therebetween to pivot magnet holder 17 until the magnet and wheel 11 are engaged as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 5. A protective covering is thus placed closely over both the drive wheel and the cutter.

In addition to supporting magnet holder 17, pin 16 performs additional functions. As may be seen in FIG. 1 the shorter leg 16a, which secures pin 16 to casing is positioned relative to arm 12 so as to limit the rotation of the arm to insure proper clamping of the can by cutter 14. Furthermore, the lower surface of leg 16a acts as a guide surface to cooperate with a bumper 29 in properly positioning the can to be opened.

The magnetic lid retaining means which I have herein disclosed permits simple and convenient operation by the user. The magnet holder 17 may be readily moved between a downward inoperative storage position and a horizontal lid holding position or it may be removed by a sliding motion for cleaning. Furthermore, a portion of the lid retaining means is adapted to assist in proper positioning of the can lid relative to the cutting mechanism and a second portion of the same means provides a shield for the lid cutter when the magnet holder is in a storage position. It is also evident, that the construction disclosed herein may be easily fabricated for providing a low cost can lid retaining means.

While I have described a specific example of this invention, it is the aim of the appended claims to cover all such equivalent variations as come within the true spirit and scope of the foregoing disclosure.

What I claim is:

1. A can opener comprising:

(a) a casing having a forward wall;

(b) means secured to said casing for severing the lid of a can;

(c) support means affixed to said casing having a first pivot portion spaced from said wall;

(d) a magnet holder having a second pivot portion;

(e) one of said pivot portions comprising a pin;

(f) the other of said pivot portions comprising a sleeve adapted for mating pivotal relation with said pin;

(g) means defining a shoulder on said sleeve;

(h) a projection on said pin for rotative abutment with said shoulder to support said magnet holder in a generally horizontal position;

(i) a magnet secured to said magnet holder and adapted to engage the lid of the can being severed when the magnet holder is in the horizontal position; and

(j) means defining a longitudinal open-ended slot in said sleeve adjacent said shoulder for permitting axial relative sliding between said sleeve and said pin when said projection is positioned in said slot so that said magnet holder may be selectively moved between said horizontal position and a depending storage position or removed from said support means.

2. A can opener comprising:

(a) a casing having a forward wall;

(b) means secured to said casing for severing the lid of a can;

(0) means afiixed to said casing including a pin having a free end spaced from said wall;

(d) a magnet holder comprising a frame member and a sleeve;

(e) said sleeve mounted on said pin for mating rotative pivoting and positioned on said magnet holder so that when said sleeve is freely pivotal on said pin said frame depends downwardly from said pin;

(f) means defining a shoulder on said sleeve;

(g) a projection on said pin for rotative abutment with said shoulder to support said magnet holder in a generally horizontal position;

(h) a magnet secured to said magnet holder and adapted to engage the lid of the can being severed when the magnet holder is in the horizontal position; and

(i) means defining a longitudinal open-ended slot in said sleeve adjacent said shoulder for permitting axial relative sliding between said sleeve and said pin so that said magnet holder may be selectively moved longitudinally and then pivoted between said horizontal position and a depending storage position or removed from said free end of said pin.

3. In a can opener having a casing and means secured to said casing for severing the lid of a can, means for supporting a can lid retaining magnet comprising:

(a) pivot means secured to said casing having a pivot portion thereon and having a free end spaced from said casing,

('b) a magnet holder having a sleeve adapted for axial sliding on said pivot portion,

(c) means including a projection disposed adjacent said free end of said pivot portion and cooperating with means defining a shoulder on said sleeve for rotative abutment with said projection to support said magnet holder in a generally horizontal position, and

(d) means defining a longitudinal open-ended slot in said sleeve for receiving said projection so that said magnet holder sleeve is freely selectively slidable longitudinally on said pivot means to permit said magnet holder to be moved to said generally horizontal position, to a depending position when said sleeve is freely rotatable on said pivot means and to a position to permit removal from said pivot means.

4. The magnet holder recited in claim 3 wherein said projection comprises an integral upset portion of said pivot portion and said shoulder defines a portion of an aperture formed in said sleeve and adapted to receive said projection.

5. A power-operated can opener comprising:

(a) a casing having a forward Wall;

(b) means secured to said casing for severing the lid of a can;

(0) an L-shaped support means secured to said casing and comprising:

(a) a first leg extending forwardly from said wall,

and (bb) a second cylindrical leg extending parallel to said forward wall to constitute a pivot portion;

'(d) a magnet for supporting the lid of the can after it is severed from the can;

(e) a magnet holder for supporting said magnet from said cylindrical leg including a sleeve adapted for sliding movement longitudinally on said second leg;

(f) means defining a shoulder on said sleeve;

(g) a projection on said second leg for rotative abutment with said shoulder to support said magnet holder in a generally horizontal position; and

(h) open-ended slot means in said sleeve to receive said projection and permit free sliding relationship between said sleeve and said second leg so that said sleeve may be freely slidable on said leg and be re moved therefrom.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,077,337 4/ 1937 Lifvendahl et a1 248240 2,835,963 3/1958 Skyes et a1 306.4 X 2,952,073 9/1960 Congdon 308.5 X 3,002,274 10/1961 Jepson et al 309 X 3,105,297 10/1963 CloWers 306.4

20 WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

MICHAEL BALAS, Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,222,780 December 14, 1965 Arthur H. Freeman It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 6, line 15, for "2,835,963 3/1958 Skyes et a1." read 2,825,963 3/1958 Sykes et a1.

Signed and sealed this 27th day of December'1966 ERNEST W. SW'IDER Atteefing Officer EDWARD J. BRENNER Commissioner of Patents 

1. A CAN OPENER COMPRISING: (A) A CASING HAVING A FORWARD WALL; (B) MEANS SECURED TO SAID CASING FOR SEVERING THE LID OF A CAN; (C) SUPPORT MEANS AFFIXED TO SAID CASING HAVING A FIRST PIVOT PORTION SPACED FROM SAID WALL; (D) A MAGNET HOLDER HAVING A SECOND PIVOT PORTION; (E) ONE OF SAID PIVOT PORTIONS COMPRISING A PIN; (F) THE OTHER OF SAID PIVOT PORTIONS COMPRISING A SLEEVE ADAPTED FOR MATING PIVOTAL RELATION WITH SAID PIN; (G) MEANS DEFININ A SHOULDER ON SAID SLEEVE; (H) A PROJECTION ON SAID PIN FOR ROTATIVE ABUTMENT WITH SAID SHOULDER TO SUPPORT SAID MAGNET HOLDER IN A GENERALLY HORIZONTAL POSITION; (I) A MAGNET SECURED TO SAID MAGNET HOLDER AND ADAPTED TO ENGAGE THE LID OF THE CAN BEING SEVERED WHEN THE MAGNET HOLDER IS IN THE HORIZONTAL POSITION; AND (J) MEANS DEFINING A LONGITUDINAL OPEN-ENDED SLOT IN SAID SLEEVE ADJACENT SAID SHOULDER FOR PERMITTING AXIAL RELATIVE SLIDING BETWEEN SAID SLEEVE AND SAID PIN WHEN SAID PROJECTION IS POSITIONED IN SAID SLOT SO THAT SAID MAGNET HOLDER MAY BE SELECTIVELY MOVED BETWEEN SAID HORIZONTAL POSITION AND A DEPENDING STORAGE POSITION OR REMOVED FROM SAID SUPPORT MEANS. 